Sustainability is everywhere, and tourism is one of the main industries worldwide. That’s why we have five recommendations for traveling without polluting.
Traveling, whether for vacation or work, is one of the most common and preferred activities for many people.
Tourism is, therefore, one of the main economic industries worldwide. It generates large revenues for the most touristic countries and localities and provides a better quality of life.
In addition, it has several health benefits for tourists as it provides joy and relaxation while exploring new climates and cultures that stimulate the mind.
Benefits of traveling for the body and mind:
- Improves mental well-being: Helping to reduce stress and anxiety and increase happiness and life satisfaction.
- Learning and personal growth: It allows us to learn about new cultures and other ways of life and broaden our perspective of the world.
- Improved physical health: Traveling can be an opportunity to exercise and eat healthy foods, and it can also help you disconnect from your daily routine and enjoy a well-deserved break.
- Expanding your network of contacts and professional opportunities: Meeting new people while traveling can open doors to new friendships, professional relationships, and business opportunities.
Since we like traveling so much and it has so many benefits, we want to give you 5 tips for traveling, taking into account sustainable tourism, so that we can reduce our environmental impact while continuing to enjoy our trip.
What is sustainable tourism?
Sustainable tourism refers to an approach that seeks to minimize the negative environmental and cultural impacts of tourism while maximizing the economic, social, and cultural benefits for local communities.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) believes that sustainable tourism requires optimal use of environmental resources. To do so, it is necessary to maintain essential ecological processes and help conserve biodiversity and natural resources, whether as a tourist or as an industry worker.
This may include practices such as using sustainable transport, promoting environmental and cultural conservation, and actively involving local communities in tourism planning and management.
Tips to be a sustainable tourist:
- Support local producers: By buying from local businesses and supporting local farmers and artisans, we are leaving a positive impact on the local economy and promoting culture.
- Choose sustainable accommodation: Look for hotels that practice sustainable practices and recommend them so that more and more places can take up these actions.
- Plan your trip: This way you can avoid unnecessary trips and use sustainable means of transport such as bicycles, trains, public transport and walk as much as possible.
- Reduce your carbon footprint: In addition to sustainable transportation, you can avoid buying unnecessary products and carry an eco-friendly travel kit, such as reusable containers or solid shampoo.
When you return from your trip, try to offset the carbon emissions generated with a carbon offset program. - Respect the environment: Do not leave rubbish in nature, disturb the fauna or flora, and do not collect objects from nature as souvenirs.
Tourism is a growing industry worldwide. According to the UNWTO, in 2019, the number of international travelers reached 1.4 billion and generated $1.5 trillion in revenue, representing 10.3% of global GDP. This proportion decreased to 5.3% in 2020 due to the pandemic, but in 2021, it increased to 6.1%, and more than 900 million tourists made international trips in 2022, double that of 2021.
Furthermore, tourism is an important source of employment, providing work for 1 in 10 people worldwide.
However, tourism can also negatively impact tourist destinations, as it can lead to pollution and environmental destruction.
Currently, this industry accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is expected to increase by the end of 2023.
For this reason, it is an important and growing industry, but it also has the greatest negative impact on the environment worldwide, so it is essential to promote sustainable practices in the industry in order to enjoy responsible and sustainable tourism.
Promoting responsible and informed consumption to help organizations change their model toward sustainable development has become a necessity.
How can we contribute to promoting sustainable tourism?
- Education and awareness: As tourists, it is important to educate ourselves about the importance of sustainable tourism and how we can contribute to minimizing its environmental and social impact.
- Promote the use of certifications and labeling: Sustainable tourism labeling and accreditation can help tourists quickly identify businesses and destinations that adopt sustainable practices.
- Demand government policies: Governments can promote sustainable tourism by implementing policies that foster environmental and social sustainability.
- Partnerships and collaborations: Partnerships and collaborations between the private sector and non-governmental organizations can help promote sustainable tourism.
- Continuing education: It is important to be informed and educated about tourism figures and advances to know how we can help from our sector or place of residence.
Tourism has great potential as a driver of sustainable growth in the global economy, and it is up to each of us to contribute to its ecological, social, and economic development in a way that benefits communities and the environment.
There is a need to invest in rebuilding places affected by over-tourism and climate change and creating tourism experiences focused on transforming the industry towards sustainable tourism.
To achieve this, we need experts in sustainable tourism who can create positive change in the industry by proposing projects with social, environmental, and economic value.
